Big defeat - for Southend United against Chelmsford City
(Image: ROB CRAVEN)
Southend United FC
Football
Sport.
SOUTHEND United's under 18 side suffered a blow in their bid to win the National League U19 Alliance Division A title as they were defeated 4-0 at championship rivals Chelmsford City.
Blues remain top of the table despite the reverse, but their lead at the summit has been trimmed to a single point by Lowestoft Town and their destiny is now out of their own hands as the Clarets sit three points further back with two games in hand.
Tom Bailey’s side were made to pay for a sluggish start as Taylor Legg scored twice inside the first quarter-of-an-hour to put the hosts in control at Moulsham High School, and Jett Murphy added his own brace either side of the half-time interval to ensure City completed a double over the teenage Shrimpers.
Blues had won their previous three matches, and four of the five they had played in 2025, going into the fixture, for which Bailey made just one change to the starting line-up as Nikolay Zlatev returned in place of Kye Munro.
However, Southend found themselves behind as early as the ninth minute in front of the watching Justin Rees when Legg did well to evade the attention of defender James Datey before burying a right-footed shot out of the reach of Luca Sorrentino.
Five minutes later, worse was to follow as Chelmsford doubled their advantage.
Blues failed to deal with a right-wing delivery and Murphy’s effort looked to be heading wide before Legg diverted it into the net.
Southend appealed in vain for offside, with their pleas being ignored.
Jack Camina then fired over for the home side in the 18th minute before Lester Ward stormed past Yobor Sorae and forced Sorrentino into a punched clearance, with the Shrimpers shot-stopper making a sharp save 10 minutes later to deny Murphy following a left-wing cross.
The visitors crafted their first chance on the half-hour when Muhammad Limbada teed up Zlatev for a shot that flew the wrong side of the left-hand upright, but within sixty seconds they had enjoyed another narrow escape when Theo McQuillan’s strike cannoned back off the crossbar and Prince Chinedum was able to clear.
Chelmsford extended their cushion to three goals at the interval after Southend skipper Ronnie Durussel tripped Lewis Hayes in the penalty area. Murphy sent the spot-kick to Sorrentino’s left to complete a miserable opening period for the away team.
Bailey made a triple substitution at the break, introducing Dylan Pattison, Finley Ledger and Jude Morgan for Sorae, Chinedum and Ibrahim Lima, and there were encouraging signs in the 51st minute when Morgan won a free-kick that Oscar Miller sent narrowly wide.
However, any hopes of a fightback were extinguished a minute later when Southend failed to clear their lines and Murphy was on hand to force home the fourth goal for Chelmsford from close-range.
Zlatev forced Josh Wilson into a save at the second attempt and Pattison nodded over from Miller’s corner, whilst Durussel almost caught out Wilson with a speculative long-range effort, but Chelmsford went close to a fifth when Max Olley sent a side-footed volley against the crossbar in the 69th minute.
Zlatev’s centre was out of the reach of Sisanda Maguranyanga with six minutes remaining and that was the end of the goalmouth action on a disappointing afternoon for Southend, who now turn their attention to next week’s League Cup quarter-final away to Hollands & Blair, where they will be seeking a much-improved performance.
Southend United U18s: Luca Sorrentino, Ronnie Durussel, Oscar Miller, Ibrahim Lima (Finley Ledger, 46), Prince Chinedum (Dylan Pattison, 46), James Datey, Yobor Sorae (Jude Morgan, 46), Brandon Dadson, Nikolay Zlatev, Muhammad Limbada, Sisanda Maguaranyanga.
Cautioned: Maguranyanga (6, foul tackle).
